St Petersburg next for Emirates

Emirates will launch flights to St Petersburg in Russia from November 1 with a daily service from Dubai.

A combination of three-class Airbus A340-300 and A330-200 will be deployed on the route.

Emirates currently operates a double daily flight to Moscow - it has been flying to the Russian capital since 2003 - and now sees the potential to tap two-way demand, mainly from the tourist market but boosted by the oil and manufacturing sectors and from the city's significant expatriate community.

The UAE is a major destination for Russian tourists and investors and thousands have made it their home.